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Abstracto

Effect of desiccation and Cold hardening on germination of Somatic embryos in Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Berhi cultivar in vitro

Hussein J. Shareef, Ahmed M. W. AL-Mayahi and Abdulrahman D. Alhamd

Embryogenic suspension cultures of Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) allow mass propagation of somatic embryos; Partial desiccation (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 hours) and low temperature (0 °C for 2 hr, 0 °C for 4 hr, 4 °C for 24 hr and 4 °C for 48 hr) treatments were applied to improve germination of somatic embryos in vitro of date palm cultivar Berhi with or without AC. The highest germination percentage was achieved when embryos were desiccated for three hours as well as treatment of low temperature in 4 °C for 24 hr. Also, the results proved that found activated charcoal (AC) in liquid media produced the highest somatic embryos number and weight and improving percentage of germination. Further, Partial desiccation and low temperature increased embryos proline content. The improvement of the germination of somatic embryos via low temperature and especially via partial desiccation embryos somatic is successful can be used for the purpose of commercial propagation especially for Berhi cultivar.